Schools
Joseph A. Edgar Musicians Sing to Gold at Festival
The fifth-grade Select Chorus "High Notes" participated in the NYSSMA Major Organization Evaluation Festival this May.
From Rocky Point Schools:Rocky Point’s Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School fifth-grade Select Chorus "High Notes" participated in the NYSSMA Major Organization Evaluation Festival this May at Five Towns College, where they performed a Level I program. The group, under the direction of Craig Knapp, performed three songs and were evaluated by two certified NYSSMA Major Organization adjudicators on eight categories, including tone, intonation, balance, technique, accuracy/execution, diction, interpretation, and influencing factors. The adjudicators provided written and oral feedback on these categories, informing the chorus what they did well, and what they can do to improve.
As a result of their performance, the group was awarded “Gold with Distinction.” A "Gold Rating" is defined by NYSSMA as, "will be awarded to organizations that have demonstrated an outstanding level of technical and artistic skill in each of the evaluative categories, including tone, intonation, balance, technique, accuracy/execution, diction, interpretation and influencing factors, for all three song selections. Any weakness in the musical performance will have been minimal. Recommendations will be given to further enhance their music performance skills." A "Gold with Distinction Rating" is defined by NYSSMA as, "will be awarded to those organizations that qualify for a Gold Rating, while having achieved a standard of performance deemed exceptional in all three selections." Gold with Distinction is the highest level of achievement presented at the NYSSMA Majors Organization Evaluation Festival. The NYSSMA Major Organization Evaluation Festival is the culmination of the music learning process as well as the hard work, dedication, commitment, process and progress the students have made throughout the school year. “The students performed extremely difficult music for their age level and I'm very proud of their accomplishments,” said Mr. Knapp.
Photo courtesy of the Rocky Point Union Free School District
